Eurofiles

Hi.

Welcome to my travel blog. I document my adventures in travel, experiences, and food. Hope you have a nice stay!

Jul 9

Jul 9 Les Houches

Travel, Food & Drink

The Chamonix area is truly spectacular. It was difficult to look at Mont Blanc without stopping to take yet another photograph – a yearning to take some of the beauty home with me. In summer it is a world of colour: clear blue skies, white capped mountains, craggy peaks, the foreboding grey of the glaciers, the sails of the hang gliders descending from Aiguille du Midi and Brévent, and the beautiful meadow flowers. It is hard to imagine this world under the cloak of winter wrapped in blanket of snow and ice.

Act IV - Revelation

Jun 28

Jun 28 Act IV - Revelation

This was an epic match. Two evenly matched teams, each in turn taking the ascendancy and arguably turning in a fair result at full time. But neither could one argue that Norway did not deserve their victory. The Australian keeper certainly had the busiest night. Knockout football is ruthless and it’s essential characteristic is to leave a battlefield replete with broken teams.

Act III - Salvation

Jun 23

Jun 23 Act III - Salvation

Jun 22

Jun 22 Montpellier

Culture, Heritage

What a cool place. From the moment I arrived at Gare St Roch I had the feeling I was in a special place. I renewed my personal fascination with the viaducts/aqueducts of Europe adding a new one to my collection, the 18th century Acqueduc St Clément which itself pays homage to the Pont du Gard built outside Nîmes.

Act II - Redemption

Jun 20

Jun 20 Act II - Redemption

Our World Cup was now all but over. But as they say, hope dies last. We had to cross from the rational to the emotional domain to get out of this.

Women's World Cup - Act I

Jun 13

Jun 13 Women's World Cup - Act I

The Battle of Stalingrad

Feb 10

Feb 10 The Battle of Stalingrad

Today is the 75th anniversary of the withdrawal of the German forces from the city. As a history buff and WWII addict I’ve often wished to visit the fields and buildings were so many were tragically slain. Re-burial ceremonies occur often for bodies pulled from the battlefield. Such was the sheer number of deaths on the battlefield that they are still pulling bodies out 75 years after it ended.

Altenbeken – Viadukt Wanderweg

Sep 10

Sep 10 Altenbeken – Viadukt Wanderweg

My account of my completion of the Viadukt Wanderweg near Altenbeken in Paderborner Land, Westphalia. An adventure not to be missed.

A Walk in the Black Forest – Feldberg to Schauinsland

Sep 9

Sep 9 A Walk in the Black Forest – Feldberg to Schauinsland

A long walk in the Hochschwarzwald - zero out of four countries visible - some cowbells - the long bench - another wrong turn - rescued by Christof - walking au naturel - and a looooong cable car ride. But do you get the reference?

Sep 8

Sep 8 Skt Pauli

My only football excursion of my summer tour. Welcomed warmly into the heart of St Pauli, Hamburg. Great match-up between east and west when Dynamo Dresden came to play.

Freiburg Im Breisgau

Sep 3

Sep 3 Freiburg Im Breisgau

Food & Drink, Heritage, Travel

Sep 3

Sep 3 Lübeck

Travel, Heritage

Lübeck - outstanding gothic brick city in the north. A city gate for the 50 DM note - a quiet corner - carrot soup - I get some lollies - wonderful Willy Brandt - god and the devil negotiate on building works.

Sentier des Douaniers

Aug 9

Aug 9 Sentier des Douaniers

Locquirec to Plougasnou - Grand Randonée 34 - galettes from a yurt - a tribute to the Résistance - lots of climbing - a digital relic - the last bus

The Day I Became a Breton Separatist

Aug 6

Aug 6 The Day I Became a Breton Separatist

Heritage, History, Travel

The bus becomes lost - rescued by a swimming pool car park - long search for a memorial - saved by the locals - a long march to 1488 - speeches - the gendarmes arrive - singing the Breton anthem - more speeches - Clarisse sings beautifully - Loic plays water polo.

Aug 5

Aug 5 Douarnenez

Travel, History

Luxury yachts - an old washing machine - the Romans solve the rotting fish problem - strawberries to line up for - lots of boats

Aug 4

Aug 4 Carantec

Aug 2

Aug 2 Morlaix

Morlaix, a city built in a valley. Bonne pour la santé. Imposing 1850s viaduct. Solemn reminder of dark days. A reassigned boat harbour and as I found out a great place for breakfast.

Jul 31

Jul 31 Le Cornouaille

The city of Quimper, capital of Finisterre comes alive for a week every July for the Festival de Cornouaille. This is my chronicle of the 2017 edition: whether, it be bagads or cercles, gourmet food, embroidery or a political discussion you are looking for, there is something for everyone. Kalon Ar Fest!

Day 8 - Kipfenberg to Beilngries

Jul 20

Jul 20 Day 8 - Kipfenberg to Beilngries

Diary, Heritage

Shrines, a play on a swing, Bronze Age burial mounds and that was all before lunch. Final walk through the stone gate down to our final destination (esp. if you catch the bus). Possible Gollum sighting.

Day 7 - Eichstätt to Kipfenberg

Jul 20

Jul 20 Day 7 - Eichstätt to Kipfenberg

Diary, Heritage

A ride on the school bus, more juniper berries, 4 climbs and descents and the best panorama of the walk so far. Ending in Kipfenberg right on the northern frontier of the Roman empire.